Solar Hot Water Systems | Getting Solar Right Since 1977!

Getting Solar Right…

Over the last thirty-five years, I’ve discovered that there are only a handful of ways of getting solar hot water right. By ‘getting solar right’ I mean consistently designing and installing systems that are durable, efficient, and economical. Unfortunately, there are a lot more ways to get it wrong. The renewable energy landscape is littered with well-intended solar heating systems large and small that never lived up to their expectations. Successful solar thermal design is not intuitive. Though it may appear simple, creating a solar water heater that will perform effectively for decades (not just years) is a skill that only a few professionals can demonstrate repeatedly. I got started in solar back in 1977 quite by accident. As a physicist, my approach was probably a lot different than that of most engineers. I was primarily concerned with energy. How do you capture it, store it, and distribute it most effectively? Over the first several years of testing and lots of real-world trial and error, I was able to develop a methodology for creating systems that successfully met my criteria for getting solar right. Of course, I had to get it wrong plenty of times to find out first-hand what worked and what didn’t. Durability was the biggest challenge. A solar water heater is subjected to environmental extremes that are unknown to most mechanical systems. Significant temperature swings, power failures, exposure to the elements, even bees and squirrels, all combine to create a hostile operating environment for the components of a solar thermal system. Time is the ultimate test of endurance. I can confidently say that my approach has weathered the test of time. I routinely hear from past customers who bought my gear three decades ago that their system is still operating alive and well. Although the solar thermal industry has seen many innovations since I first threw my hat in the ring, the basic fundamentals have not changed. I’m not saying I’ve got the only way of getting solar right. There are a handful of other strategies that do meet my three requirements to varying extents. What I am saying is that I’ve developed a way for getting solar right that’s been time-tested over thousands of installations, tiny and enormous. Homeowners, installers, do-it-yourselfers, and engineers who follow my approach are guaranteed to own, install, and/or design solar heating systems that work… every time… over the long haul. SolarHotWater-Systems.com is here to help you get it right. Our weekly blog updates, monthly webinars, and extensive library of solar thermal info are all right here at your fingertips. So where should you start? Well, that depends on who you are. We’ve segmented the extensive content of this online resource to make it easy to access for all three types of ‘solar people’: homeowners, installers, and engineers. Regardless of who you are, there are three things you can do to get started right now… 1.) Sign up for my blog updates. Twice a month you will receive an email alerting you of the latest posts on my blog. These posts include information on a wide variety of topics related to solar hot water and space heating for residential and commercial applications. You’ll get instructional videos detailing proper design strategies and installation techniques. Your feedback is always welcome! 2.) Sign up for the next webinar. Once a month I offer a free question and answer webinar on all things solar thermal. Homeowners, installers, and engineers from across the country and around the world tune in regularly for this webinar to get their questions answered. Submit your question today. 3.) Watch Solar Water Heating 101. It’s important that you understand our design philosophy from the very beginning. This introductory video course will tell you where we’re coming from and why. I don’t claim to know everything about solar, but I do know how to make a solar system work for you. This website is all about getting solar right. The proof is in the pudding: real-world systems that are durable, efficient, and economical. We hope you’ll join us in our mission to build an industry that will stand on its own for decades to come while bringing the benefits of solar hot water to our nation and our world. To your solar success! Dr. Ben Gravely